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Sailboat Review: Seawind 1170

• By Herb McCormick
• August 1, 2024

Before he became a cruising sailor, Aussie yacht designer and boatbuilder Richard Ward was a surfer. Yes, the driving force behind Seawind Catamarans for more than four decades now was already more than a little familiar with the abundance of inviting point breaks up and down the coast of New South Wales. His surfing experiences have played a major role in his design career. He creates clean, straightforward lines that translate into easily driven hulls. His innate love of the ocean, also informed from the nose and rails of a surfboard sluicing down waves, is icing on the cake. 

Seawind’s latest offering, the 39-foot Seawind 1170, is a compact package that combines well-tested features from previous models with a fresh helping of new technology. In spirit and layout, it is expressly geared toward cruising couples. Cruising cats seem to be getting larger and rangier; delivering all the necessary amenities and performance in a vessel under 40 feet is a challenge—one that the 1170 addresses quite nicely. 

In profile, the cat looks sleek and contemporary. The bows are raked slightly aft, and the generous freeboard is accented by a reverse sheerline. There’s a fixed carbon bowsprit for setting a code-zero-style screecher forward, and there are molded-in steps from the deck to the waterline in the transoms. A chine in the hull that increases the interior volume in the belowdecks staterooms extends almost the length of the waterline, and is aligned with the parallel windows in the hull. The solid coachroof extends aft over the entire cockpit, offering protection from the elements. The visuals all come together nicely. 

The first two boats off the line, including our test boat for the 2024 Boat of the Year contest, were built in Seawind’s longtime Vietnam facility. Going forward, the boat also will be produced in the company’s new boatyard in Turkey. The infused hulls and deck are vinylester with a PVC foam core that is cut with kerfs to accommodate the curved surfaces. The bulkheads are composite laminates, and there is carbon reinforcement in high-load areas. Molded ­channels in the coachroof serve as a gutter of sorts for catching rain, and a hose with a filter can be led directly to the water tanks to get topped off in the squalls.

The test boat we inspected had a CZone digital switching system, a set of lithium-ion batteries, and a full suite of coachroof-mounted solar panels (all options). A company representative said that this arrangement offers the juice necessary to power an air-conditioning unit overnight. 

The owner’s stateroom occupies the entire port hull, with an island berth forward and an en suite head with a walk-in shower aft. To starboard, the straight-line galley is sandwiched by a pair of double staterooms fore and aft. This galley-down plan opens up the main cabin, with a wraparound settee whose port side doubles as a day bed and the bench for the navigation station. An offset table can be spun around to seat guests or dropped down to make a double berth—a good option for the off-watch crew to stretch out on passage but still be close to everything. The coachroof windows can be raised to let plenty of fresh air course through. 

Topside, the features will be familiar to Seawind fans, including a trifold door that can be raised to the underside of the coachroof to integrate the cockpit and main cabin into an open space. The twin wheels are mounted well outboard and on the same level as the cockpit sole, providing terrific 360-degree visibility of the entire boat when sailing or docking. The mainsheet and traveler arrangement is overhead on the coachroof to keep the cockpit uncluttered. All the gear is top-shelf, including the Harken furlers, Gori propellers and Maxwell windlass. 

We sailed the boat on a pleasant fall Chesapeake Bay day with a breeze between 8 and 12 knots. The 1170 acquitted itself well. With the self-tacking Doyle jib employed sailing to weather, we touched almost 6 knots. When we stashed the jib and swapped over to the screecher, things got lively. On a tight reach sailing at about 60 degrees apparent, the boat zipped along at more than 7 knots. Cracked off to a beam reach, the speedo notched up to nearly 8 knots. Steerage was sweet and light, and it was a lot of fun dashing from one helm station to another on tacks and jibes. 

All in all, the 1170 did ­everything we expected it to do, with style and panache. The seasoned surfer responsible for it wasn’t around that day, but his spirit and intent most certainly were evident.

Seawind 1170 Specifications

• More: catamaran , multihull , Print August 2024 , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats , seawind
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• Sailboat Reviews

Rethinking Sailboat Structure

New designs, construction techniques are reshaping our hulls..

When it comes to describing a sailboats most valuable attribute, its surprising how varied opinions can be. Staying afloat should be our first priority, and although you seldom read or hear much about it at boat shows, the structural elements that hold a sailboat together are an all-important consideration.

Ironically, the evolution of boatbuilding techniques engendered by the fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) revolution has brought us closer to the primitive dugout canoe. Like the dugout canoe, the contemporary fiberglass sailboat is a skin-stressed structure: Most of the structural loads are spread and dissipated in the same material that works to keep water out and provide buoyancy. Building boats with a heavy timber framework and adding planks to create a watertight skin have gone the way of cotton sails.

Photo by Jonathan Neeves

However, wood is still a viable material, especially when used in veneers or sheets and bonded with epoxy glue. This approach allows a builder to easily bend batten-like veneers over a male jig to cold-mold a seamless, monocoque hull. Multi-chine metal boats are also built over a male jig that often becomes part of the framework, and plating is attached with an arc welder rather than epoxy resin. Round-bilge development made of aluminum or steel is a more challenging process, as shaping compound curves in flat metal requires specialized jigs and shape formers, plus highly skilled metal workers.

The bottom line is that well over 90 percent of recreational sailboats built today are fiberglass, built in female molds; these boats will be the main focus of this discussion of sailboat structure.

To better recognize how sailboat structures vary, we need to understand what is meant by scan’tlings. This traditional boatbuilding term originally referred to the thickness of planks and the spacing and cross-section of ribs, frames, and other key timbers used to reinforce the hull. Higher scan’tlings correlated with stronger and heavier hulls and decks.

From the earliest days of boatbuilding, there were appropriate scan’tlings for inshore light-duty craft and higher scan’tlings for ocean-going vessels enduring more arduous conditions. This habit of designing and building to the demand of a vessels mission continues today, and its no surprise that an around-the-world raceboat, which must endure bone-jarring slamming loads, incorporates structural details that are alien to run-of-the-mill sailboats at local boat shows. A crew preparing to wander down the Intracoastal Waterway has no need for a hull and deck thats fortified to endure the torment of the Roaring Forties, but that’s no excuse for shortcuts in critical load-bearing areas.

The Design Process

When approached by a builder with an idea for a new recreational sailboat, naval architects prefer to have a clear picture of the boats mission spelled out in the specifications (specs). Vague or wide-ranging specs understandably make a naval architect nervous. The problems of an ill-defined or vaguely defined mission are compounded when a boat that was intended as a superior coastal cruiser is touted by over-enthusiastic brokers as a go-anywhere passagemaker. This sort of mission creep can lead to serious trouble for the crew.

Working under the auspices of the International Organization of Standards (ISO), European boatbuilders have developed a Small Craft Directive that defines four categories of usage based upon specific structure and stability attributes: ocean, offshore, inshore, and sheltered waters. The consensus among most naval architects is that this is a good approach, but there are some questions over the efficacy of vessels that just squeak into the bottom-end of the ocean category-Category A.

Ocean-approved Category A boats are defined as designed for extended voyages where conditions may exceed wind force 8 (Beaufort scale; fresh gale, 34- to 40-knot winds) and significant wave heights of 4 meters (approximately 13 feet) and above, but excluding abnormal conditions.In our view, this abnormal label is too vague, rife with waffle words that leave the consumer wondering why force winds and 4-meter seas were spelled out rather than putting an upper limit on the operational range as exists with the three other categories.

Interestingly, in the original draft of the guidelines, there was a reference to force 10 and under conditions, but this was watered down in later drafts. Now, terms like avoiding abnormal conditions leaves a consumer wondering if a severe thunderstorm, gale, extra-tropical storm, or tropical storm, fall under the abnormal label, or whether its hurricanes and the worst of extra-tropical storms that deserve such billing. Naturally, a hurricane would be regarded as abnormal, but what about a severe thunderstorm?

The EU did a much better job specifying missions with empirical references in Categories B, C, and D. So why not Category A, arguably the category in which hull structure is most critical?

Some say theres nothing wrong with waffling on the structural mission for Category A, especially since most coastal cruisers arent launching off wave faces at 20 knots and dropping into troughs. However, when youre caught offshore in a nasty gale or storm, and can hear and feel the stress and strain wracking the hull, knowing that your boat barely makes it over a vaguely defined threshold for an ocean-going boat offers little reassurance. When the chips are down, staying afloat is the number one priority, and the boats structure becomes paramount.

An Absence of Data

One of the reasons we assume that our boats-even those built to deliberately vague standards-are quite bulletproof is the encouraging statistics revealed by loosely compiled data. New boats sailed in inshore or coastal waters have a very good track record when it comes to tallying up an equal number of departures and arrivals. The cheerful brokers claim that coastal cruiser X has seen hundreds of thousands of miles at sea is true-to a point. Look closer, and youll find that those so-called sea miles include hour upon hour of summer bay sails.

For better or worse, accidents at sea tend to grab headlines-at least those in which lives are in peril. We can all recall news stories about a one-design keelboat swamping, a crew colliding with a reef, or a vessel run down at sea. More often than not, though, these offer an example of operator error rather than a structural shortfall. And if there is a structural issue, it rarely gets publicized.

There are other instances, however, in which a structural failure seems obvious (at least to the knowledgeable sailor), and apparently induced by nothing but the sea and wind-the keel of a racing sailboat snaps off, the oversized window of a cruising boat gives way to a boarding sea.

When these types of incidents occur, justifiable outrage ricochets through the blogs, and for a short time, theres some serious thought given to a wide range of structural changes. So far, however, regulatory bodies in the United States, most noticeably the U.S. Coast Guard, American Bureau of Shipping, and voluntary agencies such as the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) have side-stepped the structural issue. As a result, recreational boat builders in the U.S. are left to adopt their own version of appropriate scan’tlings. When failures like a spate of broken rudders occur, only then are changes made.

In the end, U.S. sailors must often depend on the courts to determine whether a builder or design is at fault. Sadly, many court cases involving major structural failures are resolved through out-of-court settlements that conclude with a gag order. Gag orders keep the problem and potential solutions from becoming part of the public record for a specified period of time. In the realm of production boats, this approach ignores owners of sisterships that might suffer the same defect. Recently, the U.S. Coast Guard has begun taking a closer look how the marine version of an automotive recall should be handled.

One of the greatest impediments to more rigorous structural standards is the lack of data. Despite the headline-grabbing nature of maritime accidents, many structural failures involve no loss of life, and are resolved in the boatyard rather than the courts. When it comes to older boats and more off-the-beaten-path voyaging, the data gets even murkier. Even the Coast Guard is not tracking incidents involving recreational vessels voyaging beyond territorial waters.

Then, there are the tragic incidents in which the details are lost at sea. A boat and crew that set sail on a lengthy passage never makes landfall, leaving more questions than answers in their wake. It is up to others to speculate whether the vessel was run down, consumed by fire, torn apart on a surf-swept reef, or succumbed to a structural flaw that left it open to the sea. With no advocates surviving the incident, theres no feedback as to what actually went wrong.

Standard Industry Practice

Although less regulated than European boatbuilding, U.S. boatbuilding still has a pretty good track record when it comes to ensuring structural adequacy. However, the paradigm for building fiberglass boats has shifted over time, presenting new challenges.

The modern era in boatbuilding abides by a lighter-is-faster theme, presenting a two-fold challenge. First, there is cost: Legitimate lightweight boats are simply much more expensive to build. Second, there are technical challenges: Creating a structure thats just as stiff, strong, and seaworthy as a structure that is 30-percent heavier requires specialized equipment and individuals skilled in fabrication with high-modulus materials.

These efforts make the most sense when it comes to racing boats or high-end performance cruisers. However, when a plant that has historically focused on high-volume production for the mainstream market tries to adopt the light-boat approach, the result is too often a lighter boat that misses out on the stronger element of high-tech construction. By cutting down on the materials and technical skills that go into building a lightweight structure, the safety margin shrinks, and the end result is a fragile product that isn’t cut out for the sea-an approach most builders and boat buyers would rather avoid.

The 1960s ushered in a Wild West revolution in materials combined with a cautious East Coast approach to construction. On one side was a full-speed transition to molded FRP boatbuilding steered by some gifted, seat-of-the pants engineering. On the other, there was an allegiance to traditional boatbuilding techniques. Many of the boats from this era have stood the test of time because of their solid FRP hulls, built with hand layups of alternating layers of 24-ounce woven roving and 1.5-ounce mat.

Built before the widespread use of the chopper-gun (an apparatus designed to apply a stream of resin and fiberglass filaments), the boats of this period involved a lot of hands-on elbow grease. Serrated rollers were used to force air bubbles out from between the layers of laminate to reduce the number of voids. A variation of this hand-layup process is still used at many builders today. In the 60s, with oil at $15 per barrel and polyester resin costing only a couple of dollars per gallon, thicker hull skins became the answer to most engineering challenges.

Increasing skin thickness was used to deliver both strength and stiffness throughout the boat. During this period, sailboat buyers had yet to latch onto lighter, faster boats, and builders had yet to equate less material with more profit.

In the end, what these overbuilt arks delivered was longevity. Its no surprise to see a nicely refit 40- to 50-year-old, solid FRP sailboat still going strong.

As for speed, this summer, the Newport to Bermuda Races prestigious St. Davids Lighthouse Trophy went to the crew of Actaea-a well-maintained, 42-year-old Hinckley Bermuda 40. Some allude to her carbon spar and other go-fast modifications, but the bottom line is that the hull and deck are original, and after 40 plus years of tacks and jibes, shes still able to handle the increased rig loads imposed by modern, low-stretch sails and cordage.

Varying Density

In past decades, better engineering has led to the use of different-density material in different regions of a sailboats hull and deck. In high-stressed areas, such as where the keel joins the hull and where chainplates secure standing rigging, all lower-density core material is often removed, and a thicker solid laminate prevails. This is also true for hull-to-deck joints and where the rudderstock and prop shaft exit the hull. Elsewhere, the core material, and number and type of units (layers) of reinforcement depend upon the loads carried by that part of the hull skin.

Computer-aided finite element analysis helps engineers determine what locations in a specific panel or area of the hull will be subject to higher loads, and how these loads will spike when the boat is sailing or the panel is impacted by a point-load such as a rock or a reef. Factors such as righting and heeling moments significantly influence this data. And as time goes on, the cycle loads that continually pass through the structure, slowly but surely break down the resin bonds. The less bending a hull and deck endure, the slower the deterioration of the laminate. Keeping water, the universal solvent, out of the structure is vitally important. Freezing winter temperatures can further exacerbate inter-laminate shear issues: Balsa core will rot when wet, and heat and flex can damage foam. When a sandwich structure fails over a large area, associated repairs can be very costly and time consuming.

The hull and deck are the meat and potatoes of a sailboat, and when something is wrong with the engineering or build process of these structures, its a big problem that only gets worse. In many cases, the worst problems are localized to certain areas of the hull or deck, areas that might easily escape the notice of an untrained eye.

All it takes is a basic understanding of where forces are focused on the hull and deck of a sailboat to get an idea of where problems often arise and what to inspect. For example, imagine what goes on as a keel silently hangs day after day from a buoyant hull, putting the nearby structure in tension for years or even decades with what might be equivalent to the weight of a submerged pickup truck. This tension alone starts to flex and torque as the vessel heels and begins pounding to windward.

Next, think about the rig loads that induce this heeling moment, and youll quickly come to the mast step, chain plates, and points around the deck that support winches, rope clutches, and other highly stressed hardware. With a little head-scratching, and follow-the-load-path logic, your own mental image of potential trouble spots will begin to mirror the graphic image generated by finite element analysis software. And what youre after when you look closely at the hot spots are signs of cracking and crazing on the FRP skin around these high-stress areas.

Deflection of the coachroof under a deck-stepped mast or torn tabbing on a chain plate supporting a bulkhead need attention-as does a rudder blade showing signs of horizontal cracks in the skin or rust weeping. In short, regular close inspections of highly loaded points on the hull and deck can alert an owner to problems that will only grow more serious.

Bottom Line

New boatbuilding techniques such as resin infusion, vacuum bagging, and other closed mold processes lead to better laminates. They reduce void content and can increase the ratio of fiber to resin, resulting in a higher strength-to-weight ratio. Make sure that this improvement in laminating a hull is not offset by a heavy compliment of resin-rich, low-fiber-content hull liners, pans, and other non-structural components.

It is encouraging to see custom cruisers and race boats that show off their inside hull skin by carefully finishing the molded surface, instead of trying to hide everything with heavy, chop-strand-sprayed liners and pans that contribute little to keeping the water on the outside of the hull, but add a lot of weight.

If youre buying a new boat, think twice before buying if its the first unit and the largest model the builder has ever made. More often than not, this is less familiar territory and reflects a scaling up of what was been done on smaller models. Every builder has a mid-sized model and a boat size that they have a long track record of building. Buying a boat that has been in production long enough to have all the bugs worked out, delivers value that a customer will come to appreciate.

Builders who have been around for awhile have a good grasp on why new boat problems are a lose-lose situation, and they do all they can to avoid them. With the advent of better engineering approaches and manufacturing techniques, they provide products with adequate, if not exceptional, structure. The goal is to deliver a structure that is free of defects for at least 10 years.

A new builder may have a gifted approach to boatbuilding-or not-but the consumer doesn’t have hundreds of 10-year-old-plus boats in the used market to evaluate a builders expertise. When buying a new boat, especially one from a new builder, it makes sense to have a new boat survey done prior to final acceptance, and perhaps even enlist a consultant or owners representative to help evaluate procedures during key phases in the building process. Past Practical Sailor contributor Steve DAntonio is one of a few experts who offer these services.

Used-boat buyers need a marine surveyor who is very familiar with construction and repair issues. Price is an important variable, but in most used boat sales, it is not as important as the condition of the sailboat. Vessel structure often trumps the price tag.

Major structural flaws fall into several categories. One of the most critical is when the hull or deck laminate is so compromised that it requires the entire structure to be rebuilt. Core delamination that spans much of the sandwich structure can lead to repair costs that outstrip the value of the boat. Single-point structural shortfalls, like a keel stub or sump that is flexing too much and conveys a risk of complete failure is often able to be remedied in a cost-effective manner. The combination of available access and the localized context of such a keel problem often make it a justifiable repair.

Time and deterioration are directly correlated, but the better a boat was originally built, the more gracefully it shoulders the accumulation of both miles and years.

• Standards: Costly Hurdles or Vital Guidelines?

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

What a great in-depth article. Thanks!

Great article! I have been involved in designing high speed ship stabilization equipment including foundations like the one shown for 29 years, though mostly metals but also a lot of work with various composites. More recently I work at a local college and repair a lot small boats. Watch vacuum resin systems especially polyester, sometimes they use the resin to create a honeycomb that winds up plenty strong but brittle against impacts. I grind away the bad material until I find good, usually much further than I’d like on those repairs.

For a serious cruising boat, I prefer a solid glass hulls and a properly done molded in Keel and ballast. For other types of boats, sandwich properly done is great. Like: serious performance boat, multi’s, coastal boats, fine. I know that the state of the art is improving on sandwich. But I probable can’t afford a state of the art vessel.

Well written presentation of the challenges and issues surrounding the yacht design process. It would be helpful if boat buyers were more aware of the decisions made for designing and building boats so they find the best boat to fit heir use. There are many well built boats that are not used for their intended purpose that may decrease the owner’s enjoyment of sailing and bring unnecessary operating costs.

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• Sailboat Guide

Frances 26 is a 25 ′ 11 ″ / 7.9 m monohull sailboat designed by C. W. (Chuck) Paine and built by Morris Yachts, Custom Build, Victoria Marine (UK), and Northshore Yachts starting in 1975.

• 8 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 9 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 10 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 11 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 12 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 13 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 14 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 15 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 16 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 17 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 18 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 19 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 20 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 21 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View
• 22 / 22 Nova Scotia, CA 1975 Frances 26 $54,000 USD View

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

From BlueWaterBoats.org :

Inspired by the sweet curving lines from the east coast fishing boats of Scotland, the Frances 26 is an early Chuck Paine design for his own use. Optimised for fast and simple sailing, the resulting boat is a peculiar mix of daysailer and offshore cruiser. Since her introduction in 1974, over 200 have been built on both sides of the Atlantic and at least one has circumnavigated.

Paine started by scaling down the size of a traditional double-ender, and then applied lessons from modern design thinking to produce a minimalist sailboat that would be affordable for him to sail. Her design draws heavily from her Scottish heritage with a hint of Norwegian double-ender thrown in for good measure. Most striking are her elegant lines – there’s a fine entry, a lively sheer, full bilges and a long keel.

She’s proven to be a great cruiser which can accommodate up to four in a relatively open-plan layout. Belowdecks the interior is all wood but her flush deck means she is missing full standing headroom at only five feet of clearance. A version was built in the UK by Victoria Marine which offered six feet of standing headroom by trading the flush deck for a coachroof. The production hulls were solidly built from fiberglass with 9 1/2 oz cloth, additionally a number have been custom-built using cold-moulded wood and many of these have also added a coachroof. Both cutter and sloop rigs were offered and some have been converted to gaff.

With a high ballast to displacement ratio, in excess of 50%, owners comment she can hold onto her full sail area well after many others have reefed. You’ll find this boat easily driven with excellent directional stability and surprisingly fast. Of the various rigs the ones with larger headsails and smaller mainsails tend to be faster and more weatherly (at the expense of more trimming work).

Plans for the Frances 26 are still available from Chuck Paine. More recently in 2011, as a “what if” exercise, Paine updated the design to be inline with more current design thinking.

“If I had it to do over again I’d change a few things, hence FRANCES II (Frances the second). The most significant improvement would be to replace the undulating profile shoal draft keel with a much more modern and effective one. With a slightly deeper keel and the “full flow aperture” I developed on the later of my offshore oriented custom designs, FRANCES II will stand up to a whole lot more sail and point much closer to the wind.”

Besides being slightly larger in all dimensions, the biggest change is a deeper, shorter and more effective keel. The rig has been updated to be taller with a masthead genoa. Additionally, the rudder has been fully balanced to reduce helm forces and a small cabin house added to give full standing headroom. With the new keel and rig the new Frances II promises to be a much better performer, being stiffer and more weatherly.

The design influence of the Frances 26 design came from a backpacking trip in the early 1970s when Chuck Paine, 30 years old at the time, was inspired by the sweet curves of the double-ended fishing boats on the east coast of Scotland.

Paine commented, “I wanted a boat that embodied everything I knew about the design of efficient cruising vessels of GRP construction. She had to be capable of yearly cruises to and among the Caribbean islands, small enough to fit my limited budget, but large enough to survive a gale at sea.”

Upon his return to the US, he laid up the first hull in 1974 out of fiberglass at his workshop in Maine. This first hull was destroyed by fire prior to completion, but fortunately Tom Morris from Morris Yachts had taken a mold and it was from this his yard built the subsequent hulls. Paine fitted out the fourth Morris-built hull for himself, which he took cruising down the East Coast of America.

By the late 1970s, the boat had also emerged in the UK. After first appearing in a review in Yachting World Magazine, Bernard Hayman, editor at the time, loved the design enough to encourage Victoria Marine (now Victoria Yachts) based in Southampton to win the rights for UK construction. In later years Victoria Marine made a few changes to the boat including a shallow well forward of the mast, a coachroof to enable full standing headroom and more accommodation. This version was initially called the Victoria 26, and as it evolved, later became the Victoria 800.

The UK boats were just as successful as the their US counterparts. Production continued through until the late 1990s until sadly, with a strange repeat of history, the moulds for both designs were destroyed by fire.

Paine also designed a couple of siblings based on the Frances 26 – a 24-footer called Carol and a 30-footer called Leigh. Leigh was later built by Victoria Yachts.

Links, References and Further Reading

» Frances26.org , owners forum, information and reviews » The official Morris Yachts website . » Chuck Paine’s official website including the Frances 26 plans. » The Best Boats to Build or Buy by Ferenc Mate » Small Boat Journal #40, Frances 26 – Sophisticated Tradition in a Proper Yacht by Steve Callahan, January 1985

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The Running Rigging On A Sailboat Explained

The running rigging on a sailboat consists of all the lines used to hoist, lower, and control the sails and sailing equipment. These lines usually have different colors and patterns to easily identify their function and location on the vessel.

Looking at the spaghetti of lines with different colors and patterns might get your head spinning. But don’t worry, it is actually pretty simple. Each line on a sailboat has a function, and you’ll often find labels describing them in the cockpit and on the mast.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the functions of every component of the running rigging. We’ll also look at the hardware we use to operate it and get up to speed on some of the terminology.

The difference between standing rigging and running rigging

Sometimes things can get confusing as some of our nautical terms are used for multiple items depending on the context. Let me clarify just briefly:

The  rig  or  rigging  on a sailboat is a common term for two parts, the  standing , and the  running  rigging.

• The  standing rigging  consists of wires supporting the mast on a sailboat and reinforcing the spars from the force of the sails when sailing. Check out my guide on standing rigging here!
• The  running rigging  consists of the halyards, sheets, and lines we use to hoist, lower, operate and control the sails on a sailboat which we will explore in this guide.

The components of the running rigging

Knowing the running rigging is an essential part of sailing, whether you are sailing a cruising boat or crewing on a large yacht. Different types of sailing vessels have different amounts of running rigging.

For example, a sloop rig has fewer lines than a ketch, which has multiple masts and requires a separate halyard, outhaul, and sheet for its mizzen sail. Similarly, a cutter rig needs another halyard and extra sheets for its additional headsail.

You can dive deeper and read more about Sloop rigs, Ketch Rigs, Cutter rigs, and many others here .

Take a look at this sailboat rigging diagram:

Lines are a type of rope with a smooth surface that works well on winches found on sailboats. They come in various styles and sizes and have different stretch capabilities.

Dyneema and other synthetic fibers have ultra-high tensile strength and low stretch. These high-performance lines last a long time, and I highly recommend them as a cruiser using them for my halyards.

A halyard is a line used to raise and lower the sail. It runs from the head of the sail to the masthead through a  block and  continues down to the deck. Running the halyard back to the cockpit is common, but many prefer to leave it on the mast.

Fun fact:  Old traditional sailboats sometimes used a stainless steel wire attached to the head of the sail instead of a line!

Jib, Genoa, and Staysail Halyards

The halyard for the headsail is run through a block in front of the masthead. If your boat has a staysail, it needs a separate halyard. These lines are primarily untouched on vessels with a furling system except when you pack the sail away or back up. Commonly referred to as the jib halyard.

Spinnaker Halyard

A spinnaker halyard is basically the same as the main halyard but used to hoist and lower the spinnaker, gennaker, or parasailor. 

The spinnaker halyard is also excellent for climbing up the front of the mast, hoisting the dinghy on deck, lifting the outboard, and many other things.

A sheet is a line you use to  control and trim a sail to the angle of the wind . The  mainsheet  controls the angle of the mainsail and is attached between the boom and the  mainsheet   traveler . The two headsail sheets are connected to the sail’s clew (lower aft corner) and run back to each side of the cockpit.

These are control lines used to adjust the angle and tension of the sail. It is also the line used to unfurl a headsail on a furling system. Depending on what sail you are referring to, this can be the  Genoa sheet , the  Jib sheet , the  Gennaker sheet , etc.

The outhaul is a line attached to the clew of the mainsail and used to adjust the foot tension. It works runs from the mainsail clew to the end of the boom and back to the mast. In many cases, back to the cockpit. On a boat with  in-mast furling , this is the line you use to pull the sail out of the mast.

Topping lift

The topping lift is a line attached to the boom’s end and runs through the masthead and down to the deck or cockpit. It lifts and holds the boom and functions well as a spare main halyard. Some types of sailboat rigging don’t use a topping lift for their boom but a boom vang instead. Others have both!

Topping lifts can also be used to lift other spars.

A downhaul is a line used to lower with and typically used to haul the mainsail down when reefing and lowering the spinnaker and whisker poles. The downhaul can also control the tack of an asymmetrical spinnaker, gennaker, or parasailor.

Tweaker and Barber Haul

A tweaker is a line, often elastic, attached to the sheet of a headsail and used to fine-tune the tension on the sheet.

Barber haul

A barber haul is a line attached to a headsail’s sheet to adjust the sheeting angle to the wind. It is often used to pull the clew further toward the center or outboard than the cars allow.

Boom Preventer

A boom preventer is a line attached to the boom’s end when sailing off the wind. Its function is to hold the spar in place and prevent it from swinging wildly.

If the boat were to get an accidental gybe, it could cause serious damage to the rigging or even harm people on board. It is important for the rigger to be cautious when setting up the boom preventer.

Running Backstay

Running backstays is similar to a normal backstay but uses a line instead of a hydraulic tensioner. Some rigs have additional check stays or runners as well.

Bonus tip: Reefing

The term reefing is used when reducing the effective sailing area exposed to the wind of a given sail. Headsails are usually reefed by partially furling them in, and they often have marks for what we refer to as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd reefs.

The mainsail is reefed similarly with an in-mast furling or in-boom furling system.

On a traditional mast, we use a system called slab reefing. The system has reefing lines running through the boom to reinforced points on the luff and leech, allowing you to pull the sail down to the boom and effectively reduce the sail area.

Having at least two reefing points in the mainsail is normal, but most cruising sailboats have 3. The 3rd is used for the heaviest conditions, giving you only a tiny bit of sail area exposed to the wind.

You want to reef your sails  before  the wind increases to a point where your boat gets overpowered.

It is essential to practice your reefing technique . You will find yourself in situations with rapidly increasing winds where you need to reduce your sails quickly.

Rule of thumb:  If you think setting a reef might be a good idea, do it.

Shaking a reef  is the term used when we sail with a reefed sail and want to increase the sail area back to full.

Hardware used for sail handling and the running rigging

Furling system.

Most sailboats have their headsail on a furling system. A furling system is a tube that runs along the forestay from the bottom furler drum to the masthead swivel.

This system allows you to roll the headsail around the forestay, making furling the sail in and out accessible. It is also convenient when reefing the sail when the wind picks up, as you can easily do this from the safety of the cockpit. These furling systems come in manual versions and electric versions.

In-mast furling

In-mast furling is a system that rolls the mainsail in and out of the mast. To unfurl the mainsail, we use the  outhaul .

In-boom furling

In-boom furling is a system that rolls the mainsail in and out of the boom. This system has been costly and has mostly been seen on big yachts earlier. They are becoming more affordable and common on smaller boats, though. To unfurl this setup, we use the main halyard.

A Stack pack is also called a Lazy Bag or Lazy Pack. It is a bag with a zip attached to the boom where the mainsail is stored when unused. It protects the mainsail from UV rays from the sun and weather elements. It is a very nice and tidy way to store the mainsail and reefing lines if you don’t have in-mast or in-boom furling.

Lazy Jacks is a system of lines running from the stack pack to the mast. The Lazy Jacks guide the mainsail up and down from the Stack Pack and prevent it from falling down on the deck. It is also possible to rig Lazy Jacks without a Stack Pack.

A block is a pulley with a sheave wheel. Blocks are used to change the direction of a pull on a line or rope and give a mechanical advantage. They have many uses, especially onboard sailboats.

A winch is a metal drum that gives you a mechanical advantage to control and tighten lines. These can be operated by turning a rope around it and pulling manually or by a winch handle to get more force. Most modern winches are self-tailing, which means they lock the line on so you can winch the line without holding on to it. Some boats even have electrical winches operated by a button.

Mainsheet Traveler

The mainsheet traveler is a horizontal track that the mainsheet is attached to through a series of blocks. The traveler enables you to adjust and lock the boom at an angle and also plays a critical part in trimming the mainsail.

Most cruising sailboats have their traveler attached to the top of the coachroof in front of the spray hood. A racing boat typically has the traveler in the cockpit near the helm to give the helmsman better control over the mainsheet.

The cars are basically a pulley or block attached to a track on the port and starboard deck that your headsail sheets run through. Cars are used to control the angle of the sheet between the clew and the deck. The cars are handy when you trim the sail to set the right balance of tension between the foot and leech, depending on your point of sail.

The jammer is used to lock a line in place. Most sailboats use these for locking the halyards, mainsheet, outhaul, reef lines, traveler lines, boom vang lines, etc. You can pull or winch a line through a closed jammer, but it won’t run away if you let go of it unless you open the lock. 

As I explained earlier, it is normal to have most or all of the lines led back to the cockpit, and they are usually run through a series of jammers.

The jammers are often labeled with the name of the line it locks, which makes it easier to remember which line goes where.

Spinnaker Pole

A spinnaker pole is a spar used to wing out a headsail when sailing off the wind, particularly the spinnaker. The spinnaker pole should have the same length as the distance between the mast and the forestay measured along the deck. We use a fore and aft guy and the pole’s topping lift to rig a pole correctly.

The rigging varies depending on the layout of the boat, but it usually looks like this:

• One line runs from the bow to the end of the pole.
• An aft line runs from near the stern to the end of the pole.
• A topping lift is used to raise and lower the pole.

Whisker Pole

A whisker pole is similar to the spinnaker pole and is rigged similarly. It is typically built lighter and attached to a track on the mast. These can be found in fixed lengths or adjustable lengths. Ideally, the length should be the same as the foot of the headsail you intend to pole out.

Boom Vang/Rod Kicker

The Boom Vang has a few different names. Rod-kicker, kicking strap, or kicker. It is used to tension the boom downwards. When you are sailing downwind and have the boom far out, the mainsheet won’t pull the boom down as much as inboard, and you can then use the vang to adjust the twist and shape of the mainsail.

Mooring line

A mooring line is a traditional rope lead through a fairlead to the vessel’s cleat and a mooring buoy, key, or pontoon.

Final words

Congratulations! By now, you should have a much better understanding of how the running rig on a sailboat functions. We’ve covered the different lines, their purpose, and the hardware used to operate them. I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide and learned something new.

Now it’s time to take what you’ve learned and put it into practice by getting out on the water, setting sail, and getting hands-on experience with the lines.

Or you can continue to my following guide and learn more about the different types of sails .

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Skipper, Electrician and ROV Pilot

Robin is the founder and owner of Sailing Ellidah and has been living on his sailboat since 2019. He is currently on a journey to sail around the world and is passionate about writing his story and helpful content to inspire others who share his interest in sailing.

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Meet the Swan 65

• By Grace Howard
• Updated: April 17, 2017

Designer Germán Frers has designed the new Swan 65 .

The Swan 65, the sistership to the Swan 78, features the same modern lines and wave-slicing hull form as the larger vessel. Twin blades to allow for maneuverability at high speeds and less draft.

The sailboat is designed to be able to act as a family-friendly cruiser and/or regatta-ready racer.

Cockpit configuration: There are two options for the cockpit: an open layout with a large alfresco dining space or closed with surrounding seats.

Belowdecks layout: Two layout options for the belowdecks accommodations include a master stateroom forward or master stateroom aft. Once decided, there are a variety of options for the guest staterooms and crew cabins.

New and improved: Nautor’s Swan says the design incorporates the latest in sailboat design with mast positioning aft, a J that is larger than the boom length and a mast integrated into the coachroof. Also new to the Swan design are the the 360-degree windows on the coachroof.

The Swan line was created by Sparkman & Stephens, and in the 1980s Germán Frers took over the design for Nautor’s Swan. To date, more than 700 yachts have been produced on Frers’ designs.

“We have strived to conserve her softness and harmony of the earlier relatives avoiding hard unruly behavior. She is new, clean and modern, without being tied up to any short-lived fashion.” Germán Frers

• More: Concept & Design , Nautor Swan , Sailboats , Yachts
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Practical Boat Owner

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• Robert Melotti
• May 6, 2010

The part of a cabin which stands up above deck level. (See House.)

wallywind110 new

"Sailing yachts that masterfully combine Wally’s high-tech build with sharp styling and a clean, elegant interior to produce bluewater cruisers that thrill on the racecourse."

Wally is synonymous with the finest, fastest sailing yachts built in the modern era. The wallywind110 project takes the brand’s renowned performance and styling and elevates it to the next level for a new generation of passionate sailors. Measuring 33.42m (109ft 8in) from sheer bow to open stern, the wallywind110 oozes power. The all-carbon hull has been painstakingly optimised by the pre-eminent racing naval architecture studio judel/vrolijk & co, with twin rudders and a choice of keel technologies. Carbon rig, flush decks and a low-profile coachroof only add to the impression of speed. And yet this is a hybrid yacht, in the sense that it makes a superlative bluewater cruiser as well. Easy to handle, manoeuvrable and safe with its high bulwarks, it makes quick work of ocean crossings. And once at anchor, those wide decks provide multiple entertaining and relaxing areas, from the aft deck and 80sqm guest cockpit to the foredeck lounge. Smart removable furniture can be quickly installed to host 15 people in high style. Accommodation is flexible and typically Wally. Light streams into the open-plan saloon through the dramatic overhead skylight, while the full-beam owner’s cabin can be set up with walk-in wardrobes, a private lounge and his ‘n hers bathroom. Then there are three further guest cabins and an office, plus room for 5 crew.

Quintessentially Wally magic.

Promoting open air living.

Technical Sheet

Preliminary data.

33.42 [m] 109 ft 8 in

7.6 [m] 24 ft 11 in

4.5 [m] 14 ft 9 in

Unladen displacement

69800 [kg] 153,883 [lbs]

4500 [l] 1,189 [US gal]

CUMMINS QSB 6.7

Draft lifting

4.50-6.80 m

Sail area up wind

635 [sqm] 6835 sqft 12 sqin

Sail area down wind

1296 [sqm] 13950 sqft 4 sqin

Mast and Boom

Future Fibres ECSix

Construction type

Fast Cruising Sloop

Exterior Designer

Wally / Santa Maria Magnolfi

Interior Designer

Naval architecture.

judel/vrolijk & co

Classification

Main Deck - Performance

Lower Deck - 3 cabins

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Putting the 'Lid' on Our Wood Boat Building Project

What has been very noticeable about this wood boat building project so far is the speed at which the hull is coming together. This is largely the result of choice of hull material and building technique; cedar strip and wood-epoxy.

Alacazam's cedar strip hull was constructed upside down over temporary chipboard frames. Once this stage of her construction was complete, she was righted, the temporary frames removed and the marine ply structural bulkheads bonded in.

Then the other plywood components of the internal structure; floors, the cabin sole, bunk berths and saloon seating, lockers, the engine box and finally the galley and navigation area were built-in.

Now it's time to put the lid on...

Constructing the Deck

Perhaps the obvious choice of deck material for a wooden boat would be teak; but it wasn't for us. Teak is heavy, needs to be looked after, and doesn't like being exposed to long periods of tropical sunshine.

Marine ply on the other hand, sheathed in epoxy glass cloth and coated with non-slip paint was a much more practical solution for our self-build wood boat building project, so that was the one for us.

But before we get to lay the deck we have to build the support structure for it; the king plank, the longitudinal stringers and deck beams - all of which were fashioned from mahogany.

With these in place the half-inch (12mm) thick marine ply deck (scarfed as necessary) was screwed and epoxied to them and into the top of the 1" (25mm) hull planking.

Incidentally, the bare edges of the plywood that you can see in this picture won't stay like that for much longer; they'll be fitted with cherry trim and varnished.

The whole deck area (foredeck, sidedecks and cockpit coamings) was then sheathed in epoxy glass woven rovings before filling, fairing and painting.

The glass cloth was carried over the hull-to-deck joint and onto the hull side. That's one hull-to-deck joint that's never going to leak.

Fabricating the Coachroof

When we cut the cedar planks for Alacazam's hull we were left with a number of thinner strips; these were now to put to good use. A run through the planer to get them to a uniform thickness and they were perfect for construction the coachroof. Here's how we did it...

First we made a built a framework to act as a former, covered it with polythene and laid the cedar strips diagonally outward and aft from the centreline as shown here.

The strips were glued on to the other, the polythene preventing any adhesion to the frame, and lightly tacked to it with panel pins.

Once the glue had set we removed the pins, lightly sanded the cedar, vacuumed the dust off it, then tack ragged the it.

Next we cut strips of 8mm marine ply and glued and stapled (stainless steel staples, of course) these to the cedar, before sheathing it with epoxy glass cloth.

The edges were then trimmed to shape and the coachroof was done.

Laminating the main deck beam

The next stage was to laminate-up a mahogany deck beam to support it, and to provide lateral support for the cap shroud chainplate knees.

With the beam in place, the coachroof was attached to it and the deck and other supporting structure by the usual process of screwing it down onto a bed of high-strength epoxy gloop, then bonding the joints with woven glass tape and epoxy.

The eagle-eyed amongst you will notice the join down the centreline that wasn't there when it was in the workshop. Something to do with the width of the coach roof and the size of the workshop door...

With the coachroof in place, and all joints filled and faired with high-strength epoxy filler, both the deck and the coachroof were now complete.

The chevroned cedar deckhead in the saloon looked great and like the rest of this one-off design, unique.

The fitting of the deck and coachroof marked a significant point in this wood boat building project.

From here on in the focus would be on the GRP elements of Alacazam's composite structure - the cabin top, cockpit and keel - all of which we would be creating ourselves.

Next:   Wood Boat Building, Moulding the GRP Cabin Top

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Yachting Monthly

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Moody 36 MkII: a centre-cockpit cruiser that’s practical and fun

• Duncan Kent
• June 17, 2021

The build quality, comfort and seaworthiness of the Moody 36 MkII makes her a popular family cruiser, as Duncan Kent discovers

The Moody 36's excellent balance means there is little or no weather helm. Credit: Tom Benn/[email protected]

Product Overview

Manufacturer:.

The Bill Dixon-designed Moody 36 combines practicality, comfort, sea kindliness and high-quality build, making her an ideal cruising yacht.

The Moody 36 MkII might be described as a family coastal cruiser, but she has a performance not previously seen in Moody’s centre-cockpit range of yachts and is easily seaworthy enough to cross oceans – as many have.

A development of his earlier 35, the Moody 36 MkII had a slightly slimmer hull and longer waterline, which resulted in a noticeably quicker and better-balanced boat.

Though most owners buy Moodys for the considerable comforts they offer, they were meticulously constructed and have excellent sea-keeping abilities too.

Design and construction of the Moody 36 MkII

The Moody 36’s near-plumb stem, attractive retroussé stern and pleasantly rising sheer line with teak-capped bulwark give her a classy, yet modern look.

She carries maximum beam a long way aft, providing sufficient internal space for her trademark roomy aftercabin and offering way more useful stowage than is available in many of today’s popular cruising yachts.

Built at Marine Projects in Plymouth (now Princess Yachts), a total of 118 Moody 36 MkIIs were constructed to Lloyd’s 100A1 yardstick.

Hulls were laid up by hand, using mat and woven rovings with waterproof isophthalic resins.

Owners of the Moody 36 MkII could choose between a bilge, shoal or deep fin keel. Credit: Tom Benn/[email protected]

They were stiffened with balsa-cored frames and stringers, and finished with bonded floors and bulkheads for additional strength.

The deck is balsa-cored, but with hefty plywood backing plates laminated in under winches and deck gear.

Finally, the hull-deck joint was through-bolted and then bonded over, before being capped with smart teak.

A choice of bilge, shoal (bulbed) or deep-fin keels was offered and her large, semi-balanced rudder is supported by a half-skeg, making her more resistant to steering damage from floating debris and stray lines.

Some sailors like centre cockpits, some don’t.

They tend to be a little small compared to aft cockpit boats but many owners prefer being high above the sea and love the extra-large aft cabin it enables.

Downsides include more movement in rolly seas, a higher boom and centre of effort on the main, and poor visibility ahead to leeward with the genoa unfurled.

The cockpit layout is straightforward, with all sail controls led aft through clutches on the coachroof.

The genoa winches are within reach of the helm, as is the mainsheet behind, making single-handing easy.

The large sprayhood provides good protection and easy access to the winches.

Continues below…

Our verdict on the Moody 36

What’s she like to sail? These solidly built, medium-displacement cruisers are capable of a very reasonable pace in open seas,…

Moody S38: a good all-round family cruising boat

Looking for a good all-round family cruising boat with a good turn of speed, there are plenty of strong contenders,…

A split backstay and wide rail gate give good access to the transom steps, although it lacks a deeper platform for deck showering and unloading the tender.

Her decks are wide and clear thanks to inboard chain plates and coachroof-mounted genoa tracks.

The foredeck is clutter-free and includes a deep chain locker with a windlass plinth.

Six large mooring cleats are mounted on the bulwarks, making them dead easy to access when coming alongside.

The decks continue all the way aft, where two deep lazarette lockers house most of the loose deck gear.

Below decks on the Moody 36 MkII

Because of the centre cockpit, the companionway ladder is necessarily tall and steep.

The saloon is spacious, warm and cosy with plenty of nicely finished solid wood trims.

Headroom is just over 1.83m/6ft, but watch your head going aft through the corridor.

Set well forward, the saloon is slightly narrower than many, but well compensated for by placing the settees well outboard and making the overhead lockers fairly shallow.

The convertible, U-shaped port settee offers seating for six around the table while thick settee cushions and abundant teak joinery provide a luxurious ambience.

The saloon is cosy and six can eat around the table. Credit: Tom Benn/[email protected]

The dropleaf table doesn’t have a fiddled centre, which is irritating, but does have excellent bottle and glass drawers.

A small step down improves headroom in the forecabin, which contains a decent vee berth with reasonable floor space.

There is ample stowage under the berth, as well as two hanging lockers with shelves, plus a further six lockers above the berth and a large forehatch.

Moving aft, the L-shaped galley is well-equipped, but arranged a little awkwardly.

The worktop area is generous, especially with cooker and sink covers in place, but having the cooker under the cockpit sole limits both light and ventilation.

Both the cooker and fridge are large and there’s storage galore for food, crockery and pans.

The nav station has a forward facing chart table. Credit: Tom Benn/[email protected]

Behind the companionway steps is a central ‘pod’ that provides extra worktop and stowage, as well as housing the fuel tank, battery switches and washboards.

Opposite is a well-appointed nav station with large, forward-facing chart table, its own seat, a comprehensive electrical panel, and plenty of room for nav instruments.

Two corridors lead aft. The starboard one contains a single bunk; the port corridor houses the head, also accessible from the aft cabin.

There’s plenty of elbow room and a separate shower but headroom in the heads is only 5ft 10in.

It’s well organised with good stowage, a large hatch, and a deep sink.

The L-shaped galley has plenty of workspace. Credit: Tom Benn/[email protected]

The spacious master suite aft has always been a popular feature with any centre-cockpit Moody.

Although only 1.83m/6ft long, the Moody 36’s centrally-mounted berth is a luxurious 1.40m/5ft 4in wide.

Headroom is limited to 1.75m/5ft 9in, but the cabin boasts a wealth of stowage plus a dressing table.

Natural light is surprisingly good, with a large overhead hatch, opening side ports and a portlight above the bed head.

Access to the 40hp Volvo diesel engine beneath the cockpit is particularly good, thanks to all-round removable panels, and the steering gear is easily reached under the aft bunk.

Both water and fuel tanks are a good size for cruising too.

Rig and sailplan

The Moody 36 MkII is masthead-rigged with a thick-sectioned, well-supported twin-spreader Seldén mast, boom and gas-sprung kicker.

A triple-reefed, semi-battened mainsail was standard, with luff and leach reefing lines for the first two leading into the cockpit.

The standard headsail was a 125% furling genoa with coachroof-mounted tracks, giving a tight sheeting angle for increased pointing ability.

With the exception, maybe, of the ‘S’ models (31S & 38S), which are reasonably swift, Dixon’s CC Moodys are steady cruisers with conservative sail plans.

All are capable of a respectable pace in open seas, however, where they offer a particularly sea-kindly motion.

Thanks to the inboard genoa tracks they are also pretty close-winded, but they will lose speed rapidly if pinched too tight.

Her fastest point of sail is 50° off the apparent wind, when she surges forward relentlessly, almost oblivious of the sea state.

Control lines on the Moody 36 MkII lead to the cockpit making sailing solo easy. Credit: Tom Benn/[email protected]

The Moody 36 MkII is simple to sail single-handedly, with all the sail controls within easy reach of the wheel, and her excellent balance results in little or no weather helm.

She also boasts a healthy 35% ballast ratio and even with the shoal draft keel she is reassuringly stiff thanks to her weighty ballast bulb.

On a reach with a fair breeze she will easily average between 6.5-7.5 knots in all but the choppiest conditions.

Downwind, she requires a good size spinnaker or chute to keep her flying.

Moody Owners Association ( www.moodyowners.org )

The Moody Owners Association (MOA) aims to serve as custodian of technical information; provide a forum for owners’ experiences; promote social and sailing opportunities and provide a point of contact for prospective owners.

Owners experiences of the Moody 36 MkII

S/y cantata (2000).

Cantata is well equipped including new sails. Credit: Dick Holness

Dick and Angela Holness bought bilge-keeled Cantata in 2015 to replace their Moody S31, primarily for the extra accommodation.

She came pretty standard but since buying her they have carried out myriad upgrades, including new instruments, AIS, MFD, Navtex and VHF extension, now all networked via NMEA2000.

They have also added new batteries with a monitor, gas alarm, sound system, electric windlass, kicker strut, Autoprop, solar panels, electric toilet and new sails, which must make her one of the best-equipped Moody 36s around!

Asked if they’d had any problems, Dick says: ‘One fault at purchase was a leaking rudder stock housing, apparently a common problem on these boats and something I found I could largely fix myself. Also, some 36s, including mine, had a particular type of stanchion fixing through the toe rail that made them prone to leaks.’

Dick, who is co-author of the East Coast Pilot , started sailing dinghies at the age of 12 and continued to race them for nearly 50 years.

He started cruising around 25 years ago and has owned a Hunter Horizon 26, Sadler 29 and the Moody S31.

Based on the River Swale in Kent, Dick and Angela sail predominantly up the East Coast, with occasional trips across the Channel.

‘Under sail, Cantata is quite docile really and probably under-canvassed,’ says Dick.

‘She’s not good in light airs, being quite heavy, but her sea-going qualities are impressive if we get caught out in worse conditions than expected. With 15-20 knots on the beam, though, she gallops along with a smooth, easy motion.

‘Although I occasionally single-hand, Angela and I usually sail together, which is reasonably easy, although as we get creakier, I confess to doing rather more “genoa only” sailing than we used to. However, the change to a fully battened main has made life a fair bit easier. I would guess that the majority of 36s have in-mast furling and, bearing in mind our age, perhaps it might have been wiser to have found one with it. Cantata is very seaworthy and hasn’t really got any vices, although her high freeboard can catch the wind when manoeuvring in marinas.

‘She is very comfortable for long periods on board as there’s bags of space. But if we were off long term, I would probably upgrade and better insulate the fridge, plus install dinghy davits. I haven’t fitted heating yet as it’s so difficult to retrofit hot air ducting.

‘We did a long cruise down the French Channel coast a few years ago. Both crossings of the Dover Strait were wilder than expected but the boat just coped with it all. And with only 1.2m draught she’s a very capable ditch-crawler.’

S/Y Ellen Marvel (1998, HN 61)

John and Lesley Oldham regularly cruise the West Country and France. Credit: Tom Benn/[email protected]

John and Lesley Oldham, 73, have owned the shoal-keeled Ellen Marvel for 19 years.

‘Being the show boat at Ijmuiden, she already had a high specification, including leather upholstery and extra opening portlights, but the first owner also had heating and a bow thruster installed.

‘Our first successful improvement was to remake the aft cabin berth with a deeper mattress and underlaying slats. Venturing outside to secure the gas also became tedious, so we fitted an electric valve/sensor. I also replaced the fridge with a modern 12V model and installed a holding tank. Finally, we increased the battery capacity and included a larger shore power charger, smart alternator regulator and a galvanic isolator.

‘We fitted a Bruntons Autoprop early on, which increased our sailing speed by between 0.5 to 1.0 knot. Later we added a rod kicker with the control line led aft. We also replaced the manual windlass with an electric one and moved it forward to help prevent the chain bunching up. Our most recent upgrade has been to fit dinghy davits.

‘The instrumentation has been upgraded with a Raymarine chart plotter in the cockpit, Quantum radar, AIS700, an Icom DSC VHF and an ICS Nav6plus Navtex and instrument repeater. Plus, we now have an internal Wi-Fi network with router for marina Wi-Fi.

‘We’ve had a few faults, but not many. The pressure relief valve on the hot water tank often discharged into the bilge, which we corrected by fitting an expansion tank, and a persistent leak into the forepeak underfloor was eventually diagnosed as anchor locker drain failure.

‘The original genoa was poorly cut and the positioning of the shrouds and track prevented her from being sailed close-hauled. The original sailmakers had compensated with a belly in the foot but our new sail corrected much of this with a higher-cut clew.’

John and Lesley began sailing by taking flotilla holidays in their early 40s and soon decided to get their own boat.

They bought a new Moody S31 but soon found it too small for their needs as impending retirement, with the option of longer cruises, loomed.

‘We sail regularly as a couple, though often we sail in company with friends in their own boats. We are mainly day sailors with a penchant for overnighting in marinas. With days to spare and a fair forecast, we cruise the south-west coast from our base in Plymouth. For our main holiday we prefer the Channel Islands, Western Normandy and North or South Brittany.

‘Under sail she is not the most close-winded but on a fetch or beam reach she is delightful. On a very broad reach the genoa becomes blanketed by the main so we switch to a poled-out cruising chute. Our new mainsail is fully battened, loose footed and has a decent roach, which makes it much more powerful than the original and consequently requires reefing earlier. The two of us handle her easily as the mainsheet is within reach of the helm and all lines are led back. The stack pack also helps, as does the autopilot.’

What the experts say about the Moody 36 MkII

Nick Vass B,Sc B,Ed HND FRINA MCMS DipMarSur YS, Marine Surveyor www.omega-yachtservices.co.uk

The later Moody 36, built by Marine Projects in Plymouth, is a contemporary-looking yacht that has stood the test of time.

During surveys I have found fairly large blisters on the topsides on several boats, mainly around the portside anchor locker drain but these are from delamination rather than osmosis.

I have concluded that water has entered through the drain hole and saturated the plywood stiffeners that protect the hull from the anchor chain.

The area then stays wet and might delaminate.

My advice has been to keep the anchor locker drain holes free of debris, only have chain in the locker and no other clutter, and paint the area around the drain hole with epoxy to prevent water ingress.

Keel bolts are also a concern on the Moody 36.

Moody used high-tensile steel studs, nuts and backing plates rather than stainless steel.

Although high-tensile steel is stronger than stainless, it rusts, so it’s a good idea to keep the bilge dry and paint the exposed parts of the studs, nuts and backing plates to keep them rust-free.

Rather than using real teak slats, Moody used teak veneer on plywood for deck and cockpit seat coverings, which quickly delaminated.

Fortunately, most did not have it on the decks.

Most Moody 36s I have surveyed have had Volvo Penta MD2040B engines, which are more robust than their D1-40 successor.

However, they do suffer from limescale build-up in the coolant system and their iron castings can become porous.

Check the engine for signs of overheating and get an engineer to take the cover off the heat exchanger.

The exhaust elbow will need to be replaced every 10 years or so, too, as they clog up.

The saildrive diaphragm seal will likely have been replaced several times by now, even on a late example.

Check the service history to make sure that the seal has been replaced, as it can be costly.

There should be a date stamp on the seal but it’s sometimes hard to see.

Ben Sutcliffe-Davies, Marine Surveyor and full member of the Yacht Brokers Designers & Surveyors Association (YDSA) www.bensutcliffemarine.co.uk

I’ve surveyed many Moodys over the years and they do sell quickly on the second-hand market, but it is essential to look carefully at them before purchase.

Check the ply-faced teak in the cockpit.

This material was popular with many boat builders during the 1990s and 2000s.

On most of the boats I’ve surveyed over the last eight years, the ply-faced teak has needed replacing.

Nick mentions the keel bolts being high- tensile; I, in many ways, prefer the reliability over stainless but it is essential to keep an eye on the fastenings.

This can be difficult on the bilge-keel version due to the water tanks under the side berths!

The main cap chain plate anchorage within the saloon is impossible to inspect with the fitted internal joinery.

This is a concern especially if high moisture is identified on the side decks in that area and the covers are wet internally.

Many owners have cut small inspection hatches in the sides of the covers.

I am aware of at least two failures of the chain plates after the fastenings behind these panels failed.

The rudder is supported by a substantial skeg and I have had several experiences of very high moisture in both the blade and the skeg around the support shoe where fastenings have loosened over time.

Alternatives to the Moody 36 MkII to consider

Island packet 370.

A Yamnar 4JH3BE 56hp engine came as standard. Credit: Graham Snook/Yachting Monthly

Florida-built Island Packets were constructed to a high specification and supplied with a substantial inventory.

Although the 370 has high topsides and a tall coachroof, her pleasant sheer line lends her a well-balanced look.

Construction was meticulous, using vinylester resin infusion, tri-axial weave glass and PolyClad2 foam, finished with an ultra-high gloss Durashield gelcoat.

The hull/deck join is through-bolted and bonded and she has a full-length shallow keel with encapsulated lead ballast and a deep rudder, connected to the keel at the foot.

A deep companionway descends into a cosy, bright saloon.

The table folds away against the main bulkhead, hiding a comprehensive drinks cabinet, and all cabinetry work is top quality.

The settees make good berths, the port side converting to a double by sliding out an extension board.

Stowage is plentiful as the 600-litre freshwater tank sits beneath the saloon sole and ventilation is ample through the 11 opening portlights.

Her superb galley houses a huge fridge, full-size cooker, microwave, water filter, twin sinks and copious stowage.

The aft quarters contain an offset double berth and a nav station/chart table, with a removable bulkhead panel dividing it from the saloon.

Side decks are well protected by the high coachroof. Credit: Graham Snook/Yachting Monthly

The forecabin features a roomy island berth and en suite heads with shower stall.

The cockpit is well organised with wide coamings incorporating rope lockers.

The steering pedestal supports a table and a stout grab bar, and a high bridge deck and two 50mm/2in drains prevent water collecting.

Under the aft seats are deep stowage lockers.

Her decks are snag-free with shrouds and tracks terminating on the teak-capped bulwarks.

On the foredeck are twin rollers and chain lockers.

Her masthead rig is keel-stepped with single, straight spreaders and forward/aft lowers, with single chain plates.

The cutter-rig model has a self-tacking staysail with boom and a 110% high-cut genoa/yankee.

Although the headsail winches are near the helm, the mainsheet and all other sail controls are on the coachroof.

Under power she has plenty of grunt but like all long-keelers takes her time making directional alterations so a bow thruster is worth having.

The Maxi 1100 has a spacious and deep aft cockpit. Credit: Tom Benn/[email protected]

The Maxi 1100 superseded the 1050, giving improved sailing performance and accommodation.

Designed by ex-Olympic racing helmsman, Pelle Petterson, she has a fine entry, near-plumb stem, shallow bilge and a retroussé transom.

In addition to being quite quick, Maxis were extremely well built.

The 1100 has a carbon-reinforced floor grid that dissipates the rig and keel loads.

Above the waterline, hull and deck are a Divinycell foam sandwich, encapsulated in a vinylester resin-infused, multi-weave skin.

A deep fin keel with a 2.4-tonne lead ballast bulb or an extended shoal fin were offered, both with a deep spade rudder.

She has a tall, keel-stepped mast with twin, swept spreaders.

Shrouds lead to a single inboard chainplate each side, connected to the hull frame.

A gas-sprung kicker and powerful backstay tensioner control the main, which is slab-reefed with lazy jacks.

A deep cockpit sports a big wheel, but the helm area is spacious, with foot supports and flat coaming seats.

Sail controls are led aft.

Coachroof-mounted jib tracks keep the sidedecks clear but the handrails are too short.

Her foredeck sports a short bow-plank and a deep anchor locker with windlass.

The long, straight saloon settees provide room for six to dine comfortably around the sturdy, well-fiddled table.

Her large aft cabin has a roomy double berth, beneath which are the water tank and batteries.

The forecabin is quite spacious too.

Under sail she’s fast, stiff and easy to handle, with a light, positive helm. She tacks rapidly and effortlessly, and her large wheel enables the helm to sit out with the mainsheet to hand and a clear view forward.

The Sunbeam 37 holds it price due to its high build quality. Credit: Sunbeam Yachts

Built in Austria by Schochl Yachtbau and designed by J&J to withstand the rigours of the North and Baltic Seas, the centre cockpit Sunbeam 37 was solidly constructed to a high standard, using top- quality materials and components.

They also featured a comprehensive standard inventory, which included a 55hp Yanmar 4JH3E marine diesel engine and encapsulated lead ballast.

She has timeless looks with a positive sheer and streamline superstructure.

All had teak-capped toe rails and many also had full teak decks.

Below, the beautifully crafted, dark mahogany interior gives her a warm atmosphere without being too gloomy.

The layout is similar to the Moody 36 MkII and the proportions are equally generous, especially in the aft owner’s cabin where her huge island double berth dominates and the en suite heads are a real boon.

Duncan Kent is a technical writer for marine publications and websites

The forecabin is equally plush with plenty of stowage but has no en suite.

The later 37.1 model had an en suite head to port, in place of one of the tall hanging lockers.

She has a longitudinal galley, running aft along the corridor, that is well-equipped with bags of easily accessible stowage although, like the Moody, the far end is a little dark.

The forward-facing nav station has plenty of chart and instrument stowage.

Under sail, she is a powerful performer thanks to her generous sail plan.

With her deep, lead-ballasted fin keel and large, semi-balanced rudder she is stiff, quick and easy to manoeuvre, well-balanced and light on the helm.

The Sunbeam 37 tends to hold her price on the used boat market, easily as well as the most popular Swedish-built yachts.

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Installing a life raft on the coach roof

A life raft is a must for any voyager planning to go offshore. While many people invest great effort into choosing the right raft, weighing up considerations such as performance and budget, fewer think ahead to the actual installation. Whether you are buying your first life raft or upgrading to a new one, make sure that proper installation is as high a priority as choice of equipment. With some helpful pointers from our boatyard, we were able to install a new life raft ourselves and now have the peace of mind of a job well done. It is a project of about two days that can be managed with basic tools and know-how.

The small boat conundrum The ideal place to mount a life raft is on the stern rail, which has the advantage of easy deployment and good attachment points for the painter. However, many smaller monohulls simply lack stern space, especially once a self-steering device and swim ladder have been mounted. The only feasible option on many boats is a horizontally-mounted cradle placed just forward of the dodger. There, the crew still has access to the life raft and the painter can be secured on a deck cleat. The main challenge would be heaving the raft across the lifelines, but given the raised center section of the deck, this should not be a major hurdle.

Practicing life raft entry

Any sailor contemplating a bluewater passage should look for the opportunity to actually deploy and enter a life raft. A number of sailing schools offer half-day or weekend safety courses that do exactly this. In our case, we had a used life raft that was impossible to sell, so we could use it for our own simulation. We were careful to notify the marina staff in our location and to use a discrete area lest any passers-by become alarmed. Although a simulation in quiet, in-shore waters is not ideal, it did provide a calm run-through that did not frighten our young son.

What did we learn? To begin with, it took a surprising number of hard jerks on the deployment line to fire the CO2 cylinder and inflate the raft. On the other hand, righting and entering the life raft was relatively straightforward. The strongest crewmember should enter first to help the others in. The boarding ladder can swing awkwardly under the raft as weight is put on it, but the hand-ladder inside the raft gave us the extra grip needed to climb in. We discovered that the raft lurches as each person enters, and were careful to distribute our weight for balance.

The next step‚ — separating from a potentially sinking vessel‚ — proved awkward. For starters, the knife provided in the raft for this purpose was so firmly affixed that it was difficult to free. The painter was difficult to access from the main entry since it attached at the opposite end of the life raft (the idea being to keep the main entry away from breaking seas). We learned that the painter should be accessed through the smaller lookout hatch on the windward side of the raft. Details like these are important and vary between different manufacturers, so it is important to go through your owner's manual carefully.

Finally, we familiarized ourselves with drogue deployment and the survival pack contents. It is possible to have extra equipment (such as a handheld watermaker) packed into the raft on request. Every captain should also prepare a grab bag with further equipment. The first thing to reach for, however, is your EPIRB, which should be tied outside the life raft to transmit your position. Hopefully, you will never have to resort to such measures, but it pays to be prepared.

However, there are a few challenges in installing a life raft in this location. One is that the coach roof is typically a relatively soft section of sandwiched deck. It is not constructed to absorb significant loads, such as a wave sweeping over the deck and pulling at the life raft. A second problem is that most coach roofs have a slightly convex curvature that will not be flush with a straight cradle. Finally, there is the issue of achieving a neat installation without marring the interior cabin ceiling with through-bolts. The approach we used in installing our life raft resolved each of these problems, as described in the steps below.

Installation In overview, installation consists of four steps: (A) making mounts that will distribute the load of the life raft over the coach roof, (B) preparing the deck for the mounts, (C) fitting the mounts to the deck, and (D) attaching the cradle to the mounts.

Making mounts The very first step in this process is to determine the exact position for the cradle by placing it in the desired location and marking drill holes. Then determine how thick the coach roof is by carefully probing with a drill at one of the marked mount points. In a sandwich composite construction, the goal is to cut through the top layer of fiberglass and the balsa core, but not all the way through to the interior fiberglass liner. In our case, these two layers of the coach roof were 2 inches thick, and therefore we knew our mounts would be 2 inches tall.

With this preliminary information established, you can begin to prepare four mounts that will support the cradle. These can be made by stacking discs cut from sheet glass to create a mushroom-shaped mount. Eventually, the mounts will be fitted into four wells in the coach roof, establishing solid attachment points for the life raft.

To construct a mount, you will need to stack a number of discs cut from .25-inch structural fiberglass sheet, with a disc diameter of 2.5 inches. The number of discs depends on the thickness of your deck: for example, our 2-inch-thick coach roof called for eight .25-inch discs. Top off the stack with one wider disc (3 inches in diameter) to achieve the mushroom shape. The discs can be cut using a hole saw with 2.5 and 3-inch fittings. The hole saw will also drill a narrow hole through the center of each disc. You will need four mushroom-shaped mounts all together; for a 2-inch-thick mount, that means cutting a total of 32 narrow discs plus four wider tops.

Next, sand each disc with 100-grit sandpaper and then bond each stack of discs with epoxy (such as West System 105 Epoxy Resin with 205 Fast Hardener). To keep the layers aligned, put a temporary bolt through the center holes and tighten against a washer and nut. A layer of plastic wrap can be put around the bolt to prevent it from sticking to any epoxy.

After the epoxy has hardened, sand the rough edges of each mount. An easy way to do this is to put the protruding part of the temporary bolt into an electric drill and let it spin while you hold sandpaper against it. Once the bolt has served its purpose, it can be removed and the hole widened slightly in preparation for the last stage: tapping a 3/8-inch thread into each mount. These will accommodate the stainless steel machine screws that will eventually fix the cradle to the mounts. In our case, the screws were 3/8-inch by 2 inches; a thinner coach roof might take a 3/8-inch by 1.5-inch screw. At the conclusion of the first step, you will have prepared four mushroom-shaped mounts, each with a hole through the center.

Preparing the deck The next step is to drill holes (or wells) into the coach roof as counterparts for the cradle mounts. Be careful only to drill to the depth you have determined. Use the same hole saw fitting to cut 2.5-inch-wide wells into the coach roof. To prevent the central drill bit from penetrating the inner liner, readjust it so that it is flush with the hole saw after cutting through the first quarter-inch of fiberglass and wood.

Once you've made the cuts, carefully lever out the fiberglass/balsa plugs. All that remains now in terms of deck preparation is to sand and clean the inside walls of each well. Make sure the wells are completely dry. You must also sand the surface of the coach roof a half-inch around each well; that's where the wider head of the mushroom-shaped mount will eventually sit. Check that everything fits by temporarily bolting the four mounts to the cradle and placing it into position. This is the time to remedy any tight spots (either by sanding the mounts or using a Dremel tool to widen the well).

When you are satisfied with the fit, clean all contact surfaces of the wells and mounts with acetone. Then generously mask off the areas around the wells to catch the inevitable epoxy run-off.

Fitting the mounts In this step of the process, you will fit the mounts into the coach roof wells. Once you begin working with epoxy, things will move quickly, so be sure you have everything at hand. At this point, the mounts should still be temporarily fitted to the cradle, so you will be handling the cradle as a whole.

It is important to protect the bolts running through the center of each mount from epoxy overflow, because they will be removed one more time before installation is complete. Stuff the lower end of the bolt holes with a small amount of plastic wrap and place a small piece of masking tape over the top of each bolt. This will prevent epoxy from being squeezed up through the hole and sticking to the bolt.

Now you are ready to connect the matching pieces in earnest. Mix a batch of epoxy (such as West System 105 Epoxy Resin with 205 Fast Hardener). Cover both contact surfaces with a layer of clear epoxy: first, all surfaces of the mounts, and second, the insides of the wells (including the extra half-inch ring around the top of each well). Once these sections have a layer of epoxy, add some adhesive filler to the same batch of epoxy (such as West System 406) and partially fill each well with the thickened mixture. This epoxy will fill any void beneath the mounts and will be squeezed up along the walls of each well. Use enough epoxy for some to be squeezed out the top when the mounts are pushed into place. Now place the cradle with its protruding mounts into position and press firmly. Then weigh the cradle down until the epoxy starts to set (for example, by standing on the cradle or putting the life raft on the cradle).

A curved coach roof will still have a small gap between the underside of the flat mount top and the downward curving deck. Use a surgical syringe (50-ml size works best) to apply thickened epoxy into these gaps. Then trim any excess epoxy from the top edge of the mounts. We use out-of-date credit cards or other plastic cards for this purpose; they have just the right stiffness and their corners can be trimmed to the right radius.

After the epoxy has dried, you can complete this step of the installation by painting the mounts so that they match the coach roof. To do so, unbolt the cradle from the mounts and move it aside. Use a soft disc sander to fair the exposed epoxy around the top of the mounts and follow up by hand, using 220-grit sandpaper. This prepares the surface for painting: ideally, use two coats of a two-part polyurethane paint (such as Awlgrip), mixed to match the color of the deck.

Bedding the cradle Once the paint is completely dry, you can move on to the final step. Bedding compound can make a mess, so be sure to mask off the area around the wells in addition to the sections of cradle that might get smudged. Carefully clean all contact surfaces (including the bolts) with acetone. Then apply bedding compound (3M 4000 UV works well) to the undersides of the cradle at each mount point and along the length of every bolt. Excess bedding compound will be squeezed out when you screw in the bolts; this can be trimmed away after it has set. The final step will be to remove the masking tape and mount the life raft onto the cradle. Now you can step back and admire a job well done!

Taken step by step, this process requires more patience than expertise. The result is a neat, secure life raft that can stand up to the forces it may be exposed to. It’s unusual to feel so much satisfaction in installing a piece of equipment you hope never to use, but it’s well worth the effort!

————– Nadine Slavinski and Markus Schweitzer live aboard their 1981 Dufour 35, Namani, with their 8-year-old son, Nicky. They are currently in Panama and heading for the South Pacific. Nadine is the author of Lesson Plans Ahoy: Hands-On Learning for Sailing Children and Home Schooling Sailors (visit www.sailkidsed.net). They were assisted in this installation by Yankee Marina in Yarmouth, Maine.

By Ocean Navigator

More From Forbes

First wallywind 110 high-performance sailing yacht debuts at monaco.

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The first Wallywind 110, Galda, enjoyed her debut at the 2024 Monaco Yacht Show as the largest ... [+] delivery since Ferretti Group took the Wally Yachts helm.

The ultimate in sailing chic, Wally Yachts are streamlined, high tech, luxurious high-performance boats that appeal to the sophisticated individualist who is passionate about sailing. The largest build by the Wally group since coming under the wing of The Ferretti Group , this first 110, named Galma, confirms a commitment to the sailing fleet.

Ferretti Group Chief Executive Officer Avv. Alberto Galassi comments, "The point is to keep creating yachts that are completely different to the rest of the yachts in the sailing world. With the wallywind110, we've managed to introduce something that is distinct: the boats are completely customizable staying true to Wally's tradition, but with Ferretti Group industrial approach, so no two will ever look the same."

The Story of the 110

A high-performance sailor that is streamlined but not stripped-down, the Wallywind 110, Galda, is at ... [+] home with luxurious relaxation as well as furious racing.

In 2022 Wallywind initiated a series concept for 110-150 LOA high-performance yachts. This first Wallywind110 shows off the minimalist lines Wally is known for, dovetailed with smooth performance and features of larger yachts.

Built of carbon fiber composite, a hull material introduced to sailing yacht builds by Wally, the superiority of their innovation and expertise continues. High modulus carbon spars and rigging complement the finely-tuned hull design by judel/vrolijk & co , building into it strong cruising capability and regatta-winning potential. Also built into the design is the ability to sail the yacht with a minimal crew.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Clues And Answers For Saturday, September 28

‘$16 trillion by 2030’—blackrock is quietly backing a radical new u.s. dollar rival amid a bitcoin and crypto price boom, election 2024 swing state polls: trump tightens race in these two harris strongholds, an expansive cockpit.

The clean, flush deck of the Wallywind 110 Galda, with raised deck saloon, is artfully designed to ... [+] be sleek in profile, while offering spacious interiors.

Measuring more than 860 square feet (80 square meters), Galma's cockpit features comfortable sofas, sunbeds, and informal dining that can be configured according to need. Clean of any sailing controls, the space is unencumbered to assure guests can enjoy time on board without interruption, whether at anchor or underway.

All sailing related controls are concentrated on the aft portion of the yacht. Additionally, Galda sports a flush deck all the way aft to the sunbeds. Equipped with hidden fridges amid the posh sofas, guests can choose whatever they'd like without the need to call on crew.

A Low Profile

Wallywind 110 Galda glides through the water effortlessly in equal measure whether pressed for time ... [+] in a regatta or simply cruising the coast.

The sleek Wally trademark is a low profile presented from the side, looking for all practical purposes like a completely flush deck with barely a hint of coach roof bumping the line. "The cockpit is deep, but you don't see this from outside the boat. It helps to conceal the coachroof, giving the impression of a flush-decked yacht. In reality, the Wallywind110 has all the benefits of a raised saloon without any of the aesthetic drawbacks,"explained Wally founder and chief designer Luca Bassani.

The foredeck lounge and Wally's famous sternside terrace-on-the-sea are important brand features. Intended as a social center right on the water, guests are encouraged to lounge, chat, or observe more active water sport pursuits.

The Priority Of Comfort

Bright, spacious interiors with light furnishings and woods and dark accents present a chic interior ... [+] gathering space in the raised deck saloon of the Wallywind110, debuting at the Monaco Yacht Show 2024.

While the interior configuration of the lower deck is up to the owner, most are quite happy with the space to play with allowed by the raised deck saloon design. Four large guest cabins are served by accommodations for three crew. An optional bar, office, or TV room can also be included.

The raised saloon is the center of activity on the yacht, endowed by lots of natural light from hull lights, windows, and skylights. To starboard, Galma's dining table seats eight. To port, deeply upholstered sofas welcome conversation, cocktails, and social gatherings.

Working with Studio Santa Maria Magnolfi, the Wally design team, headed by Bassani, chose light woods and pale upholstery, with contemporary accents in carbon fiber to echo the informal welcome, concurrently hinting at the speed, ease of handling, and relaxed environment on board.

Performance and Potential

Wallywind 110 Galda is a fine example of the hybrid qualities built into Wally Yachts, dovetailing ... [+] comfort and leisure with high-performance sailing and racing.

Designed and engineered to perform at the top of her game, Galma is the capable combination of speed and easy handling. Twin rudders combine with the hull design for a high degree of responsiveness.

A standard 15-foot (4.5-meter) keel with a lifting option works with a 6835 square foot (635 square meter) upwind sail plan, yielding tremendous power. Carefully controlled with an option for a square top mainsail with an increased downwind spread of 13,950 square feet (1,296 square meters) provides fast racing or passage times.

"The wallywind 110 is ideal for an experienced owner of motoryachts and is now willing to make the jump to over 100 foot sustainable sailing yachts, in order to get the extra comforts of four guest cabins and three crew cabins," says Bassani. The most likely owner, Bassani explains, is in their 40s or 50s, with a family who enjoys cruising throughout the summer, but also finds participation in a few regattas a year with friends to be enjoyable.

Experienced sailors will appreciate the Wallywind 110's responsive performance, while relaxed guests ... [+] will find accommodations and common areas quite posh.

Gauging the current interest levels regarding the first hull, Wally has already begun a second, which will have a few new tweaks and optimizations. Bassani concludes, “In all these 30 years, I’ve never had owners so radiantly happy with their new Wally,” continuing, “It means, not only do the couple love what we have designed, but what we have built and the quality we have achieved. I can say hand on heart, that this is the best Wally sailing yacht ever delivered.”

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Wooden Coach Roof

• Thread starter noswellplease
• Start date 12 Aug 2010
• 12 Aug 2010

noswellplease

My boat is 40 years old, GRP hull still in good condition and coachroof made of wood in good condition but needing TLC, Winter protection from elements, which have caused some hairline cracks where a few sections of the structure join together. The deck then to complicate matters slightly is made of teak and in quite good condition. It was suggested to me that I might look at the possibility of removing the paint from coachroof and epoxy the lot using a fine roving mat. I plan to lower the mast to do some other jobs this winter and think I can get the boat into a shed where the work could be done mainly by myself say next Spring. What I'm really wondering is? Is it worthwhile, will the end product be a relatively maintenance free coachroof? Would it all look a bit of a dogs dinner, epoxy on wood? Is it a major undertaking that requires high levely of skill to do properly? I realise some purists will detest the idea of using epoxy on wood but I am open to all suggestions regardless. Thanking again in advace the forumits that are so helpful so much of the time. Russ  

Well-known member

There are many ways of dealing with repairs of wooden coachroofs. Complete sheathing with epoxy and glass cloth is one of them - but is an extreme method and probably more useful when the boat is new than as a repair. Might I suggest you get onto the Wessex Resins website as they publish extensive material on using eopxies in maintenance and repair of wooden boats. It is almost impossible to give definitive advice without seeing the boat, how it was built and assessing the extent of the required repairs - and even then different people will have different views on the most appropriate method. Personally I would lean towards repairs that keep as much of the existing structure as possible and make full use of the properties of epoxy. Others would not touch epoxy and recommend use of traditional methods. Difficult choice if you do not have the knowledge and experience to do it yourself.  

• 13 Aug 2010

Thanks Tranona and Oldsaltoz for your advice. I think I will have a chat with my local yard and see what they say. I'm quite happy to do the donkey work removing paint varnish and whatever if that keeps the labour costs down. I will also check out Wessex Resins to see what they have to offer. The coachroom was extremely well built by Dutch carpenters 40 years ago so basically I would like to just add a further layer of protection against the elements which would last for a good few years to come. Again many thanks for advice. Russ  

chippysmith

We have just finished exactly that! Difference being our teak was shot and it was a structural part of the build. We removed both teak and sub-deck, used two layers of ply to replace that removed. All timber was sheathed in epoxy then epoxy bonded, this was all sanded flat, filled then faired off. All paint was removed from coachroof and cockpit then we had a professional (friend), completely sheath using a heavy roven mat all over, decks first, then coachroof sides followed by the coachroof, we also did the seat tops and the cockpit sole. Once the roven is wetted they use a fabric called peel ply over the top and wet this onto the roven, once its set the peel ply is removed to leave a lovely flat finish. Joints need fairing but it certainly makes it easier. The top was then finished in two pack paint We were blessed with good weather, and as a part diy/pro project it has still taken 4 months. Biggest issue was the moisture, we used west systems fast hardener but still got caught once or twice.. The paint was the most difficult for the same reason, you have to get it down early on a relatively hot day, yes it's two pack but it takes an age to cure, if you get it wrong it just blooms by the morning. If it rains, well then you sand it off and start again! Very pleased with it though, lots of nightmares over and it looks just great  

noswellplease said: Thanks Tranona and Oldsaltoz for your advice. I think I will have a chat with my local yard and see what they say. I'm quite happy to do the donkey work removing paint varnish and whatever if that keeps the labour costs down. I will also check out Wessex Resins to see what they have to offer. The coachroom was extremely well built by Dutch carpenters 40 years ago so basically I would like to just add a further layer of protection against the elements which would last for a good few years to come. Again many thanks for advice. Russ Click to expand...

• 14 Aug 2010

whiteshythe

Hi noswellplease, I own a 40 year old Trintella 1A with a wooden coachroof similar to yours. A year ago I also had to rectify a similar problem caused by water penetrating the join between the white painted coachroof top and the varnished coachroof sides.The water ingress started to cause a hairline crack and slight delamination in places of the plywood roof. I am only moderately skilled in dealing with such repairs, but I have restored the coachroof to its original pristine condition as follows without resorting to glassfibre:- 1. I stripped all paint and varnish back to the bare wood, which is mahogany veneered ply. I used paint stripper and a good quality scraper. Wear gloves and goggles! 2. I allow any moisture to dry out completely, and used a hair dryer and heat lamp to speed the process up,( don't let the wood get too hot! Having your boat in a shed is a great help as it may take a number of weeks to dry completely). 3.I then sanded the surface of the coachroof to get rid of any imperfections and traces of paint and varnish. 4. I Filled the cracks with a two part epoxy filler,and when dry sanded again finishing off with 240 grade paper. 5.I masked off the coachroof top, and applied 5 coats of Epifanes clear rapid varnish followed by one coat of Epifanes high closs varnish to the coachroof sides.(You should be able to get two coats per day on of the rapid, using a foam brush) 6. I then masked off the coachroof sides and brush painted a white epoxy wood primer to the coachroof top followed by two coats of white non slip Interdeck paint. I expect this to last at least five years before having to repaint. The thought of covering in fibreglass appalls me, as it would ruin the appearance of these very pretty Dutch built boats. Tyler made a version of my Trintella, called the '29' with a moulded glass fibre coachroof well into the 80's, but to me it does not have the same appeal. Hope this is of help. Regards, Steve.  

• 19 Aug 2010

Many thanks Tranona and Whiteshythe for your detailed and comprehensive replies to my query and indeed Tranona I did post something similar a while back but unfortunately after the replies I was still quite unsure as to the course of action best suited to my needs. To encapsulate the whole coachroof in roving and epoxy seemed like a good solution at the time but I did not want the end result to look like a DIY dogs dinner and I'm thinking that it would need a very skilled craftsman to avoid such an outcome! Whiteshythe you experienced the very same problems I have with your Trintella 1a (hairline cracks in paintwork where two surfaces are bonded together) and your course of action seems the way to go. I hope to get the benefit of my local boat yard shed for a time over the Winter or Spring when I could undertake such a project and as I live only a few miles away the labour and general donkey work I can do myself. I think for the time being I will read up on resins and the Wessex catalogue and see what they have to offer. For the record Tranona although the coachroof is wood the deck is GRP with teak laid on top which I will be leaving well alone having replaced some 60 odd teak screw plug inserts where they had popped out and all now appears to be normal. If by any chance Whiteshythe you think of anything tips or otherwise that might help in this repair project I would be most grateful and perhaps you could PM same. Again thanks to all who offered advice on this subject much appreciated....Russ  

Thanks Chippysmith for your detailed account of work done to your boat. I take it that your profession helped you a great deal in sorting out timber issues though thankfully in my case I don't have to deal with the deck also (at least at this stage I don't think I have to). I will have to get up to speed with the various epoxy resins available and how to apply them properly. I take it that your comprehensive job must have cost a small fortune but if you were happy with the results, then thats all that counts. I think in my case using a heavy roven mat to encapsulate the coachroof would surely distort the timber effect, but perhaps I'm wrong or were you able to keep the shape of your coachroof as before? Again thanks for you help and advice ....Russ  

noswellplease said: For the record Tranona although the coachroof is wood the deck is GRP with teak laid on top which I will be leaving well alone having replaced some 60 odd teak screw plug inserts where they had popped out and all now appears to be normal. Click to expand...

Chippysmith, just seen the pic of your boat and you certainly did a fantastic job there. Maybe on to you again with a PM just to gleam a bit of info at a later stage when I get started myself. Didn't think you could get such a good result using that method! Well done...Russ  

• 24 Aug 2010

Bobobolinsky

I did the two coach roofs on my boat with traditional cloth and paint, which looks fine. It is relatively easy to do is not too moisture and temperature intolerant and the cloth finish is pleasing to the eye as well as being non slip. I must say that it used far more paint than you might expect, and in total, over two 6' x 6' roofs used 5 litres of primer and 3 litres of top coat.. I used more topcoat than I should have because I used a dark primer and it took some covering. Total cost Sanding £2.00 Cloth £20.00 Oil based Primer £12.00 International Alkyd top coat £34 Mahogany trim £10 Total £78.00 In epoxy I would expect twice that at least  

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limited headroom, so raise coachroof?

Discussion in ' Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building ' started by Seafarer24 , Aug 10, 2008 .

Seafarer24 Sunset Chaser

I happen to like almost everything about my boat, with the exception of its limited headroom. Just a few inches more would allow me to walk around without rubbing my head. I've been contemplating cutting off the top of my cabin and raising it for the needed headroom. Unfortunately, it has a rather complicated cabintop design (sistership photos) : I could keep the general sloping design of the cabintop, or completely change it to something more classic. I'm not sure which would be more difficult... ...any suggestions?  

the1much hippie dreams

i would just make me a whole new one,,but you will have to pay close attention to the weight you'll be adding. or,, if its close to what you want,,just not high ( not from fumes ) enough and you dont mind the width getting smaller as you go "up" ,, you could cut the very top of the "roof" and continue the angles of the salon sides,,and add from there ,,,,, that would be the cheapest, fastest , and easiest way,,,,,i think,,,maybe,,,,,ohhh i dont know,,hehe  

Fanie Fanie

How high are your floorboards ?  

reminds me of the song that goes,,,," hows high the water momma?,,, 4 foot high and rising."  

There's no room to lower the floors, as they're pretty much in the bilge already...  

Kaptin-Jer Semi-Pro

You will be running into a number of problems. The first is that you have a deck mounted mast. The compression pole can be made longer, but then you have to change all your rigging. also the main bulkhead is in that same general area, that would need to be glassed to the new height. It is no problem to raise the deck behind the mast, but you will still need to duck to get into the v berth. You are better off doing what I did. I traded my 27' for a 38'. Mad wife, happy sailor.  

Pylasteki Junior Member

One that I have seen used to give standing headroom, is to raise the height of the companionway's sliding hatch. Doesn't really give walk around height, but at least gives somewhere to put on a pair of pants... I'm pretty sure male pattern baldness has been linked to short coach roofs...  

fcfc Senior Member

Seems that you do not need to raise ALL the coachroof. Which would include structural problems as mast post and so. On this boat (beneteau 235) http://www.beneteau235.com/images/port_ad1_1000.jpg , just the sliding hatch has been raised (factory design) On the other (Edel 600), http://users.skynet.be/quovadis/exterieur.htm the sliding hatch is on a raisable top. You get a higher headroom, but only at mooring. It is not intended to sail top roof in up position.  

I can already stand up under the sliding hatch, it's everywhere else that bothers me. I could live with only being able to stand up in the main saloon, and stooping to use the head and V-berth. I like the idea of cutting just the roof off and raising the sides. I could bond 1/4" (?) marine ply to both inner and outer sides of the doghouse. I'd have to remove the interior fiberglass headliner, but that's something of a blessing anyway as it will allow me to put in a stronger bulkhead under the mast. The wheels are turning...  

• Advertisement:

Got one that might come in handy... I replaced the lower foot of the studs and sill plate of the house on an old powerboat. I used a 7 inch skill saw (to be deep enough to get through the 2x4's) using a 4x4 laying down on the cabin sole against the inside corner to set the height of the cut to be uniform. Wonder if you could pick a height lower than all the windows (or glass over the holes...) lay the saw on its side and use a board as a guide... then cut it off so it is the same on all sides. Cut a bunch of blocks out of plywood just a smidge thicker than your fiberglass... and make a sandwich with two other pieces so it looks like an H. Then drop that over the lip, center the top and square it all up using forms from the outside and inside and temporarily tab them together... if the glass is strong enough to stand up on its own. Tricky part would be making everything stiff enough to not flex while you move it around... and retain its shape... I'm pondering if its too thin if you could just through bolt a bunch of 2x4's to the inside... with cross bracing. Cut through them at the same time as the fiberglass. Sister along side the 2x4's ya cut in half... and drop a spacer in place to keep it all uniform (or change the angle...) Anyhow, just thought I'd share some ideas... I keep wondering about coring over the top skin of my cabin top, and routing out the original... way to much work for only 3/8ths + the fiberglass thickness though. Or doing a speed bump/sea hood that doesn't follow the original decks lines inside! Zach  

Spade rudder build with limited equipment

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Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof

• Thread starter albinvega3283
• Start date Oct 3, 2013
• Brand-Specific Forums

albinvega3283

Hi All I have slab reefing on my Vega 3283 and wish to update this to single line reefing. I have looked at all the pictures on the Group Site and plagiarized ideas. Thanks to all those that posted pictures. I have one question and that is what size and make of winch is suitable for installing on the coach roof to raise the main, topping lift and the reefing lines? The sheet winches on the boat are Lewmar 16 two speed. Are these too large for the job required on the coach roof for single line reefing? Thanks in advance for your help. David Wisdish Ponteneur V3283  

john.pennington19

Hi David Hope you are well. I changed to single line reefing using Lewmar 8 winches which were quite adequate. However after 5 years of constantly tweeking the set up to reduce friction and sail abrasion during Reefing I have ditched it and returned to slab reefing. I am now a great advocate of that old Adage…..Keep It Simple S….. Best Regards John P. Te Arawa V1847 (Now on the West Coast of Scotland) From: [email protected] [mailto: [email protected] ] On Behalf Of David Wisdish Sent: 03 October 2013 21:26 To: [email protected] Subject: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof Hi All I have slab reefing on my Vega 3283 and wish to update this to single line reefing. I have looked at all the pictures on the Group Site and plagiarized ideas. Thanks to all those that posted pictures. I have one question and that is what size and make of winch is suitable for installing on the coach roof to raise the main, topping lift and the reefing lines? The sheet winches on the boat are Lewmar 16 two speed. Are these too large for the job required on the coach roof for single line reefing? Thanks in advance for your help. David Wisdish Ponteneur V3283  

winslowbuoy

Hi John - good to see you are adopting my Keep it simple philosophy. What are you doing on the West Coast of Scotland your GPS can't be that far out of true.Mike  

Hi John   It was good to hear from you again.  Yes we are fine in Scotland and hope that you in England are likewise.   Thanks for the information on winch size.  I know friction and sail wear and tare will be an issue but I am now getting older and moving around a heaving deck reefing at the mast is no longer a pleasure especially when putting in the second and when Scottish weather requires the third reef.  I will give it a trial and see what happens.    Do you wish to sell your Lewmar 8 winches now you no longer require them.  Cheeky!   Regards   David Wisdish   From: John Pennington Sent: Friday, October 04, 2013 9:00 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof     Hi David Hope you are well. I changed to single line reefing using  Lewmar 8 winches  which were quite adequate. However after 5 years of constantly tweeking the set up to reduce friction and sail abrasion during Reefing I have ditched it and returned to slab reefing. I am now a great advocate of that old Adage…..Keep It Simple S….. Best Regards John P. Te Arawa V1847 (Now on the West Coast of Scotland) From: [email protected] [mailto: [email protected] ] On Behalf Of David WisdishSent: 03 October 2013 21:26To: [email protected] : [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof   Hi All I have slab reefing on my Vega 3283 and wish to update this to single line reefing.  I have looked at all the pictures on the Group Site and plagiarized ideas.  Thanks to all those that posted pictures. I have one question and that is what size and make of winch is suitable for installing on the coach roof to raise the main, topping lift and the reefing lines?  The sheet winches on the boat are Lewmar 16 two speed.  Are these too large for the job required on the coach roof for single line reefing? Thanks in advance for your help. David Wisdish Ponteneur V3283  

Hi Mike   I learnt a lot from you during  the  IFR in Holland a few years back. I have even ditched the furling foresail and gone to hanked on sails!! Still got the 3 GPS systems though J I got a bit bored with the East coast so moved the boat to Scotland to explore the inner and outer Hebrides. Hope things are well with you and the family.   Kind Regards   John P.   From: [email protected] [mailto: [email protected] ] On Behalf Of MICHAEL FREEMAN Sent: 04 October 2013 11:29 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof     Hi  John - good to see you are adopting my Keep it simple philosophy. What are you doing on the West Coast of Scotland your GPS can\'t be that far out of true. Mike From: John Pennington <john@...> To: " [email protected] " < [email protected] > Sent: Friday, 4 October 2013, 9:00 Subject: RE: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof     Hi David   Hope you are well.   I changed to single line reefing using  Lewmar 8 winches  which were quite adequate.   However after 5 years of constantly tweeking the set up to reduce friction and sail abrasion during Reefing I have ditched it and returned to slab reefing. I am now a great advocate of that old Adage…..Keep It Simple S…..   Best Regards   John P. Te Arawa V1847 (Now on the West Coast of Scotland)       From: [email protected] [mailto: [email protected] ] On Behalf Of David Wisdish Sent: 03 October 2013 21:26 To: [email protected] Subject: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof     Hi All   I have slab reefing on my Vega 3283 and wish to update this to single line reefing.  I have looked at all the pictures on the Group Site and plagiarized ideas.  Thanks to all those that posted pictures. I have one question and that is what size and make of winch is suitable for installing on the coach roof to raise the main, topping lift and the reefing lines?  The sheet winches on the boat are Lewmar 16 two speed.  Are these too large for the job required on the coach roof for single line reefing?   Thanks in advance for your help.   David Wisdish Ponteneur V3283          

Hi David   I’m in your neck of the woods now. So I know all about the changeable weather you encounter!   Unfortunately I still use the Lewmars on the coachroof .     Best Regards   John P.   From: [email protected] [mailto: [email protected] ] On Behalf Of David Wisdish Sent: 04 October 2013 11:33 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof     Hi John   It was good to hear from you again.  Yes we are fine in Scotland and hope that you in England are likewise.   Thanks for the information on winch size.  I know friction and sail wear and tare will be an issue but I am now getting older and moving around a heaving deck reefing at the mast is no longer a pleasure especially when putting in the second and when Scottish weather requires the third reef.  I will give it a trial and see what happens.    Do you wish to sell your Lewmar 8 winches now you no longer require them.  Cheeky!   Regards   David Wisdish   From: John Pennington Sent: Friday, October 04, 2013 9:00 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof     Hi David Hope you are well. I changed to single line reefing using  Lewmar 8 winches  which were quite adequate. However after 5 years of constantly tweeking the set up to reduce friction and sail abrasion during Reefing I have ditched it and returned to slab reefing. I am now a great advocate of that old Adage…..Keep It Simple S….. Best Regards John P. Te Arawa V1847 (Now on the West Coast of Scotland) From: [email protected] [mailto: [email protected] ] On Behalf Of David Wisdish Sent: 03 October 2013 21:26 To: [email protected] Subject: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof   Hi All I have slab reefing on my Vega 3283 and wish to update this to single line reefing.  I have looked at all the pictures on the Group Site and plagiarized ideas.  Thanks to all those that posted pictures. I have one question and that is what size and make of winch is suitable for installing on the coach roof to raise the main, topping lift and the reefing lines?  The sheet winches on the boat are Lewmar 16 two speed.  Are these too large for the job required on the coach roof for single line reefing? Thanks in advance for your help. David Wisdish Ponteneur V3283  

groundhogyh

I also moved my original Lexmark 8s up to the coach roof. One additional tweek I just made was putting small blocks at each cringle on the sail reef points. All reef lines now on one side rather than traveling through the cringle, but the reefing process now almost frictionless. Goiot makes an in-cringle block if anyone actually knows how to order fromthem. groundhogSent from my iPad  

Hi Groundhog Thanks for the block idea. I will carry out the mod when I put in the reefing. David Ponteneur V3283 From: groundhog Sent: Friday, October 04, 2013 4:37 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof I also moved my original Lexmark 8s up to the coach roof. One additional tweek I just made was putting small blocks at each cringle on the sail reef points. All reef lines now on one side rather than traveling through the cringle, but the reefing process now almost frictionless. Goiot makes an in-cringle block if anyone actually knows how to order from them. groundhogSent from my iPad On Oct 4, 2013, at 3:46 AM, John Pennington john@... wrote:  

Hi John   Another sassenach immigrant!!!!!!  Welcome.   David   From: John Pennington Sent: Friday, October 04, 2013 11:46 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof     Hi David I’m in your neck of the woods now. So I know all about the changeable weather you encounter! Unfortunately I still use the Lewmars on the coachroof . Best Regards John P. From: [email protected] [mailto: [email protected] ] On Behalf Of David WisdishSent: 04 October 2013 11:33To: [email protected] : Re: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof   Hi John It was good to hear from you again.  Yes we are fine in Scotland and hope that you in England are likewise. Thanks for the information on winch size.  I know friction and sail wear and tare will be an issue but I am now getting older and moving around a heaving deck reefing at the mast is no longer a pleasure especially when putting in the second and when Scottish weather requires the third reef.  I will give it a trial and see what happens.  Do you wish to sell your Lewmar 8 winches now you no longer require them.  Cheeky! Regards David Wisdish From: John Pennington Sent: Friday, October 04, 2013 9:00 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof   Hi David Hope you are well. I changed to single line reefing using  Lewmar 8 winches  which were quite adequate. However after 5 years of constantly tweeking the set up to reduce friction and sail abrasion during Reefing I have ditched it and returned to slab reefing. I am now a great advocate of that old Adage…..Keep It Simple S….. Best Regards John P. Te Arawa V1847 (Now on the West Coast of Scotland) From: [email protected] [mailto: [email protected] ] On Behalf Of David WisdishSent: 03 October 2013 21:26To: [email protected] : [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof   Hi All I have slab reefing on my Vega 3283 and wish to update this to single line reefing.  I have looked at all the pictures on the Group Site and plagiarized ideas.  Thanks to all those that posted pictures. I have one question and that is what size and make of winch is suitable for installing on the coach roof to raise the main, topping lift and the reefing lines?  The sheet winches on the boat are Lewmar 16 two speed.  Are these too large for the job required on the coach roof for single line reefing? Thanks in advance for your help. David Wisdish Ponteneur V3283  

stevebirch2002

Hi David   Watch that John Pennington, drinks all yer whiskey!  he\'s a good egg   Steve B From: David Wisdish Sent: Sunday, October 06, 2013 4:14 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof   Hi John   Another sassenach immigrant!!!!!!  Welcome.   David   From: John Pennington Sent: Friday, October 04, 2013 11:46 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof     Hi David I’m in your neck of the woods now. So I know all about the changeable weather you encounter! Unfortunately I still use the Lewmars on the coachroof . Best Regards John P. From: [email protected] [mailto: [email protected] ] On Behalf Of David WisdishSent: 04 October 2013 11:33To: [email protected] : Re: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof   Hi John It was good to hear from you again.  Yes we are fine in Scotland and hope that you in England are likewise. Thanks for the information on winch size.  I know friction and sail wear and tare will be an issue but I am now getting older and moving around a heaving deck reefing at the mast is no longer a pleasure especially when putting in the second and when Scottish weather requires the third reef.  I will give it a trial and see what happens.  Do you wish to sell your Lewmar 8 winches now you no longer require them.  Cheeky! Regards David Wisdish From: John Pennington Sent: Friday, October 04, 2013 9:00 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof   Hi David Hope you are well. I changed to single line reefing using  Lewmar 8 winches  which were quite adequate. However after 5 years of constantly tweeking the set up to reduce friction and sail abrasion during Reefing I have ditched it and returned to slab reefing. I am now a great advocate of that old Adage…..Keep It Simple S….. Best Regards John P. Te Arawa V1847 (Now on the West Coast of Scotland) From: [email protected] [mailto: [email protected] ] On Behalf Of David WisdishSent: 03 October 2013 21:26To: [email protected] : [AlbinVega] Single Line Reefging - Size and make of winch on coach roof   Hi All I have slab reefing on my Vega 3283 and wish to update this to single line reefing.  I have looked at all the pictures on the Group Site and plagiarized ideas.  Thanks to all those that posted pictures. I have one question and that is what size and make of winch is suitable for installing on the coach roof to raise the main, topping lift and the reefing lines?  The sheet winches on the boat are Lewmar 16 two speed.  Are these too large for the job required on the coach roof for single line reefing? Thanks in advance for your help. David Wisdish Ponteneur V3283  

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